Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-11-24
A THANKSGIVING EVE REVERE

~ FtgHA iD- ne h'GtN.'Is
Tomorrow Is Thanksgiving. and my
Gftieth birthday. lis just fifty years ago
since | first came into this world of min
gled Joy and sorrow. How fast the seasons
fly, to be sure, when once fellow gets he
yond his thirtieth year. 1t seems, rs |
think it over, but little while ago that |,
a merry urchin, with the Strangest OF ideas
buzzing in my ill-developed brain, used to
wander through the fields of the old farm,
listening for the voice of the strange beings
with which fully believed The upper air
was peopled, OF loitered along the edge 0i
the wood that skirted the meadow near
the farmhouse, watching for the appear
ance of the fairies | thought lurked III the
shadows beneath the trees. What Eancies
used to come to me at such times, child
though / was Often | was fully persuaded
a host Of queer little beings were
desporting themselves along the mar
gin Of the forest, and again that
the fairies had so often heard OF from my
mother, came forth, beautilul beyond cx-
preston, from among the trees and danced
lightly over the green of the meadow, or
ran about IN play, or talked with one
another as they sat here and there in the
grass, forming picturesque groups in the
IL
used to weave, rs ! watched the ianciful
sports OF these creatures Of the imagiDa-
this picture | had couiured up was real;
and yet such was the charm OF this most
peculiar spell, that night after night in the
summer, when the moon would be Just
peeping over the horizon in the East,
sending forth Hood of light across the
broad meadow to the edge of the forest, or
sailed high over head amid the tlcecy
wilderness of the clouds, causing the most
fantastic shadows to follow each other over
the sward, would slip away from my
lhJueI = uOuSe,Nutl iuHuiuS a''uNH NAS h'i'i
would pause, painting but happy, at my
iayOriUe spot Tor missing, lew dozen yards
from the edge of the timber. The grassy
field ran close up to the forest, without
fence OF other obstruction to divide the two
rival domains of waving grass and tall,
majestic trees, and the locality, under such
conditions rs existed when loved best to
he there, would have possessed attractions
for one with far less fancy than myself.
And here il WAS, one evening, after much
eommuning with the creatures OF my fan
CIV, fairy came to me n truth. How
remember the sudden start and thrill
which |, veteran worShiper ut the shrine
OF Nab, experienced at the sight. had
left my mother soon after tea that June
evening, when the air, halmy and soft as
that which fills the vale Of famed Cash
mere came slowly from the West in per
tuned breaths, ~ if inviting me to my
usual haunt. | ran lightly through the
little gate, across the narrow bsrn-yard,
and climbing the hans which led into the
pasture field, was soon within the shadow
of the trees. The moon WAS full, and Just
rising from behind the gently-rolliug land
away beyond the farmhouse, and as |
sank down upon the grass the scene was so
delightful that, boy though | was, drank
1t in as one queuches a glowing thirst in
some cool fountain
All at once, rs turned from watching
the clear, round moon, slowly swinging
| into view, and looked towards my beloved
woods, heard light, merry, childish
| laugh, and u moment later there came
/ from out the shadows of the trees into the
moonshine "A little figure, clothed in white,
one hand catching up the trailing robe she
wore, while the other, dlmpled and soft,
shaded the ewes from the level beams o,
lunar light, rs their owner looked straight
| into the moons clear taca, sprang to my
| feet in wonder, and at the sound the LITTLE
| figure, noticing NV presence for the first
time, came toward me with one hand ont
stretched, the other still clasping the trail
| ing gown | went to meet her, and the
I fairy child, as thea believed her, placed
one hand in mine, pointed with the othel
to the farm houSe, sharply outlined against
the illuminated sky, and said:
as that your home? want to go; In
lost"
did not make reply; bat led this lit
tie visitor from what seemed the shores o
theunknOwn fairy realm across the meadow
to the house, and hurst in upon my startled
mother with a cry Of:
See, mother, I've brought fairy from
the woods"
My mother ran to us with an exclama
tioa of surprise, and in q moment all on,
little household was about US in the room
and / was relating my experience. Nj!
mother asked my fairy her name, anC
! whence she came, but the little one eOulC
not tell her much. Her name was Ethel
and she was lost. That was all.
After o generous slice of bread and {
bowl of milk had been disposed Of, m.
mother wrapped Ethel up and soon sh
was tucked Away in bed, while l was sen